After eating a year’s supply of desserts on our weeklong Alaskan cruise, we told ourselves we’d go easy on the sweets once we came home. That didn’t happen. Just a few days after returning, we hosted a cookie swap at our house, resulting in dozens of leftover treats. The problem was, they were all so delicious and we felt so guilty disposing these handcrafted creations, that we were left with no choice but to eat every last one. The cookie party was for a photoshoot which will be included in a special upcoming holiday issue of Bake From Scratch Magazine—more on that later. There was hardly any room in our refrigerator to store this wealth of cookies since most of the space was being occupied by mountains of vegan berry pavlovas that we made the day before. And it didn’t stop there: the calorie-party continued… Over the weekend, we tested a salted caramel dessert for an another upcoming project that we will be announcing soon. Plus there was a rich and fudgy chocolate cake which will be making an appearance here in the next few weeks. But the final thing that tipped the scale was the huge batch of butterscotch caramel corn we whipped up on Sunday. Allrecipes had invited us to take over their Instagram account to post photos and videos throughout the day, showing tips on how to make this favorite recipe of ours. And despite the plates of cookies, piles of pavlovas, fudgy chocolate cake, and caramel treats that bombarded our kitchen counter like an overstocked bakery, every last bite of the baked butterscotch caramel corn was eaten.

We should probably be posting a salad or a smoothie today—and probably shouldn’t have polished off that entire batch of cinnamon-sugar monkey bread for breakfast this morning—because now we have even more cookies to add to our extensive collection. But let us assure you, these cookies will not go to waste, no matter how many hundreds are filling our house at the moment. There are more recipes on the internet for chocolate chip cookies than there are stars in the milky way galaxy—with every source claiming to be the best—and it can leave you feeling confused where to begin. Well have no more fear, let the search stop here, and the let cookie commemoration commence!

This is another flawless recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen. When we saw the title “the best vegan chocolate chip cookies” we knew we had to try it. Made with chunks of semisweet chocolate, creamy almond butter, and coconut oil, you would never guess that these moist and chewy cookies are vegan. Crisp around the edges and perfectly sweet, this recipe is just as good as any non-vegan version containing eggs and butter. Tune in to our Instagram show tomorrow as we shake and bake these delicious cookies live from our kitchen. This week we have an extra special guest—our nine-year-old niece Lucia is flying down for a weekend visit, and will be joining us on the show to help whip up these unassumingly vegan treats. Just what this household needs: more cookies! Best uncles ever.

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Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
makes 16 cookies

2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 packed cups (284g) brown sugar
1/2 cup (118ml) coconut oil, melted and cooled to room temperature
6 tablespoons (89ml) water
1/3 cup (86g) creamy almond butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (213g) vegan chopped chocolate or chocolate chips

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside

In a large bowl, pour the brown sugar and stir to break up any lumps. Add the coconut oil, water, almond butter, and vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth and blended. Add the flour mixture and stir with a spoon until evenly combined with no streaks of flour remaining. Add the chocolate and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for 1 to 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 16 equal portions and roll each one into a ball. Place on the prepared baking sheets with 2 inches between each ball. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are set and golden and the center still looks a little soft. Cool cookies completely on the baking sheet. Serve warm or at room temperature, and enjoy! Cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.